Try These 6 Best Freezer Meals for Meal Prep To Save Time

There is so much going on, and you’re just trying to get your life together between work, perhaps a wedding or a new baby, and everything else… And let’s face it, not having to think what to eat would’ve made it a lot easier, especially eating healthy on top of that!

Yes, whipping up a meal in the kitchen is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety, but time is no one’s friend, and to enjoy the ‘therapy session’ with every meal, just isn’t possible. Have you ever considered healthy freezer meals? There are plenty of healthy freezer meals that taste just as delicious the second time around. It’s also a great way to meal prep – you can freeze each serving individually when you need it. You’ll eliminate food waste and save yourself from having to cook dinner every night. It’s a win-win!

Here are some healthy freezer meals you can prep using real food with actual veggies that largely don’t require thawing and would actually be excited to eat:

Detox Lentil Soup

Super cozy, big-time nutritious, and easy to prepare, this Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup contains good foods like kale, onions, garlic, carrots, and olive oil.  Follow the link here to view all the ingredients, the method or watch the video to see how it’s made.

Chicken & Vegetable Pies

Enjoy portable pies with extra veggies and hearty whole grains – both family- and freezer-friendly – a hearty meal to go. Follow the 9 easy steps from the link and view the nutritional information; we know you want to!

Frozen Oatmeal Cups

These individual oats are easy to make, freeze, thaw, and reheat for those mornings when you don’t have time to think about breakfast. Plus, you can add whatever tasty toppings you want! Only 7 steps from start to freeze, get the recipe here.

Cauliflower Curry

Dinner winner! This curry is just enough curry paste to make your tastebuds perk up, and the texture is creamy, but still with some tender veggie pieces intact, and it’s all just so yummy. Totally vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, full of vegetables, and all the things! The recipe is right here!

Beef Stew

Beef stew is classic comfort food, and you can easily freeze the leftovers, too. This hearty meal will keep your whole family happy during those nights at home, especially after a looong week. Follow the link here to see how it’s made.

Cheesy Sausage, Broccoli, and Quinoa Casserole

We left our favourite for last with the full recipe. We hope you try this one at least, and let us know how you prefer to freeze it:

Per Serving: 296 calories; fat 13g; saturated fat 5.3g; mono fat 4.7g; poly fat 2.3g; protein 17g; carbohydrates 28g; fibre 4g; cholesterol 48mg; iron 2mg; sodium 399mg; calcium 154mg; sugars 4g.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups water
• 2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ cup chopped yellow onion
• ½ cup chopped carrot
• chicken sausage, casings removed
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 6 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, divided
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ cup whole-wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Bring 2 ½ cups water and quinoa to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 14 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove pan from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion, carrot, and sausage; cook 7 minutes, stirring to crumble sausage. Remove the sausage mixture to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
4. Add flour, butter, and garlic to drippings in the pan; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add milk and stock; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, constantly stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium; stir in broccoli, 2 teaspoons thyme, 3/8 teaspoon salt, 3/8 teaspoon black pepper, and red pepper. Cover and cook 2 minutes. Stir in quinoa and sausage mixture.
5. Coat 2 (20cm) square microwave-safe glass or ceramic baking dishes with cooking spray. Divide the quinoa mixture between dishes. Combine remaining 1 ½ teaspoons oil and breadcrumbs in a bowl; add remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and cheddar. Sprinkle cheese mixture evenly over casseroles. Bake at 200°C for 18 minutes or until browned, or follow freezing instructions.
6. How to freeze: Cool unbaked casseroles completely; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Freeze up to 2 months. Thaw: Remove foil. Microwave at high 20 minutes or until thawed. Reheat: Cover with foil and bake at 190°C for 25 minutes; then broil for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Bon Appetit! Enjoy!

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